Supporters rally at the Pennsylvania Capitol calling for action on legislation that would eliminate school property taxes and replace them with higher taxes on sales and income, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013, in Harrisburg, Pa. Supporters of the effort said rising property taxes make it difficult for people on fixed incomes to remain in their homes, even if their mortgage are paid off. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)

NORRISTOWN — The proposed amendment to House Bill 1189 that would have eliminated educational property taxes throughout Pennsylvania was defeated Tuesday in a 138 to 59 vote in the state House of Representatives.

However, House Bill 1189, which supporters say offers school districts multiple options for relieving their tax burdens, passed the House Wednesday by a vote of 149 to 46.

In a press release issued immediately after the vote on HB 1189, Rep. Seth Grove (R-196th Dist.) attributed its success to its flexibility.

“House Bill 1189 provides a multitude of options for school districts to deal with their property taxes,” Grove said. “In areas where the local populous is demanding elimination — it eliminates. In areas where the local populous wants reductions — it reduces. In areas that want to be left alone — it allows them to keep the status quo.”

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Rep. Jim Cox (R.-129th Dist.), author of the amendment that incorporated language from House Bill 76, calling for statewide elimination of the property tax and an increase in sales and personal income taxes, into HB 1189, said was not surprised the amendment failed, but that defeat was motivation for the future.

“Today was a tactical setback, but the overall goal remains the same,” he said Tuesday in a press release. “We have more work to do, but we are still moving forward,” Cox said in a press release issued Tuesday after the vote.

Cox called the Tuesday’s vote “a tally of who supports the Property Tax Independence Act.”

One of those supporters was Rep. Mike Vereb (R.-150th Dist.) who voted in favor of the amendment.

“It is a bold proposal, but sitting back and watching people struggle to pay their property taxes is not an option,” Vereb said in a press release. “We need to fund our schools, but property taxes are based on a horrible assessment system.”

Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R.-134th Dist.) said in a similar release that he supported the amendment “to advance the discussion and debate about property tax reform.”

Like Cox, Mackenzie said that the denial points to future discussion.

“Even though the amendment failed, I will continue to work to address the issue of burdensome property taxes and unfair education funding,” he said. “I look forward to seeing solutions.”

Rep. Becky Corbin (R-155th Dist.), who voted against the amendment, said in a press release it would have deprived school districts of control local control over taxes and would have failed in its purpose by allowing property taxes to continue under a complicated formula while districts paid off their debts.

“That meant property taxes could have continued for decades while sales and income taxes would have increased immediately,” she said.

Other representatives expressed the same concerns regarding local control. Rep. Kate Harper (R. – 61st Dist.), who also voted against the amendment, said in a telephone interview that the school districts she represents — Colonial, North Penn, and Wissahickon — receive little aid from the state and fund their schools at the local level from property taxes on the business, commercial and industrial sectors.

“I saw House Bill 76 as a shift of the burden from businesses to individuals,” she said. “It would mean the money leaves the districts, and I doubt we would ever see it again.”

The defeat of the amendment does not mean the end for the property tax discussion. On Sept. 23, four bills that seek to amend or eliminate property taxes, including HB 1189, were cleared by the House finance committee, and HB 1189 will now go to the Senate. Two of the other three bills also passed.

HB 76 and its counterpart, Senate Bill 76, both remain in their respective finance committees.